Long loads have traditionally been carried in an automobile with a large portion of the load protruding from the automobile's window. Similarly, if the load is carried by a pick up truck, a large portion of the load hangs off the back end of the pick up truck. Additionally, long loads have been transported by strapping the load to the roof of an automobile or truck.
Unfortunately, the traditional methods of transporting long loads are unsafe and unreliable. When a long load is extended from a vehicle there is concern that the load will come into contact with an object causing damage or destruction to the load and contacting object. Certainly if the contacting object is another vehicle, there is the possibility of vehicle damage and possible personal injuries. Strapping a long load to the roof of a vehicle is inherently unsafe and could result in the load detaching from the vehicle thereby being damaged and possibly causing an accident.
The problems described herein and others can be easily and inexpensively solved by utilizing the present invention. The present invention allows a long load to be transported safely and efficiently. The present invention is also capable of adjustment so that it may be utilized by most, if not all, automobiles, pick-ups and passenger trucks.
Several issued patents address the long load carrying dilemma. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,007,864, 4,607,773, 4,942,989 and 4,944,434 disclose various inventions intended to allow transportation of long loads by means of automobiles. However, the issued patents mentioned herein have shortcomings that are addressed and solved by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,007,864 and 4,607,773 both disclose complicated long load carrying devices with many moving parts. Therefore, either patented device could be complicated to use and with so many moving parts there is greater risk of product failure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,434 discloses a complicated load carrying device that allows only limited adjustment of the distance between the load carrying members, thereby limiting the load that can be carried. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,989 discloses a design that does not allow any adjustment of the contact points between the load carrying members and the vehicle.
The present invention is very simple and easy to use. Furthermore, mounting of the present invention can be adjusted allowing it to be used with a wider range of vehicles than previous inventions. The present invention has two independent load carrying members that can be separated a large distance allowing a wide range of loads to be carried. The portable exterior vehicle longload carrier disclosed herein solves the shortcomings of the prior art.